Updates – September
[2019 09 21] Today’s notes and pictures.
Pool winter cover has been installed.
Community Center Door Hardware installed. (Three (3) sets of double doors swing outward.)
Was there a delay in that the doors were originally installed swinging inward, instead of code required swinging outward? (A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE). If there was a delay was this most egregious error a design error by the architect or an error by the construction firm?
Even though it has been exceptionally dry with no precipitation in nearly 3 weeks the ground in front of the new Bath House near East Oak Street and on the West side near the driveway to the rear are still damp and wet due to the ground water near the surface.
ONCE A SWAMP ALWAYS A SWAMP!
[2019 09 15] The gates to the Dumpster pen have been installed (Pic #7).
[2019 09 10] Sunday’s pictures.
[2019 09 03] Sunday pictures and comments.
The utility work at the South East corner (towards South Central Ave) of the Community Center appears to be completed (2 new Sewer Clean outs etc., all work filled in with sand).
One hears the sound of natural gas flowing through the pipes at the SE end of the Community Center, being used to heat the pool.
Standing water still persists at the edge of the East Driveway next to the Bocci Courts etc.
Dumping of material still continues at Northern end of West (towards Wyckoff Ave) parking lot.
Updates – August
[2019 08 25] All front double doors were installed at Community Center, as well as the East (Central Avenue) single side door.
The utility work on East side of the Community Center continues with new larger PVC sewer line installed with connection to Community Center with two (2) clean outs.
Sunday’s pictures follow.
[2019 08 18] The only work noticed today (Sunday) was the trenching on the East (towards Central Avenue) side of the property. Here’s the pictures.
[2019 08 13] There seemed to be no significant work done on the pool, at least from the outside view. Here are all the pictures from Sunday, showing both the work remaining and what seems to be completed.
[2019 08 04] Today’s pictures.
Mobile Port-a-Potty in front has been moved out.
The front lights at Pool entrance were left on all night, still on in the morning.
There’s free standing water still in multiple areas in front of the project, along E. Oak Street side.
Updates – July
[2019 07 28] Today’s pictures.
More high fencing placed next to snack bar driveway and between Pool House and future Community center.
Caps placed on block posts on the sides of main entrance.
The rear mobile air-conditioned port-a-potties have been removed.
One rear gate walk-in entrance near new playground removed.
[2019 07 22] Here are pictures from Sunday.
Bath House / Snack Bar / Administration / Dumpster Pen are all nearly completed with grass seed down in front.
There’s a ring of hay bales along West side of pool area next to down slope of parking lot to channel rain water run off to existing drains to prevent water from inundation of pool area near the new buildings.
There’s a new sliding gate nest to the Snack Bar for deliveries, etc.
The low areas in front of the Pool House along East Oak Street still show signs of high water table with standing water.
[2019 07 15] This weekend’s pictures.
[2019 07 07] Today’s [Sunday’s] update, comments and pictures:
- Additional (2) stall Air Conditioned Portable “convenience” trailer facility is parked in REAR
- Pavilion at or near completion
- Roll up door at main entrance installed
- Is kitchen for Snack Bar completed and in operation?
- Community Center Electrical Service Entrance completed
- Swamp Muck from slab construction of pavilion still in front of Community center
- Community Center Electrical Service Entrance completed
Standing water still in low areas as it was prior to any construction and continues as pictured every week in area for proposed Senior Center and new parking (will this lead to problems). Once a SWAMP ALWAYS a SWAMP.
Updates – June
[2019 06 30] One area is posted today, the pictures from this morning.
The shingles are ON the pavilion roof. Work is progressing on the electric service.
[2019 06 23] The pool project pictures from Saturday follow. The Pavilion is shown in the background of the first picture; the shingles on the roof had not yet been installed.
[2019 06 16] No new info from the Borough about the ‘lightning alarm’ system that the Borough mentioned a while ago. And nothing about making the pool premises safer by adding lightning protection – which would simply complement the ‘lightning alarm’ system.
The “facilities” trailer and port-a-potties are still in use.
Pictures this week from this morning follow.
[ 2019 06 12] Two items for you this week. As usual, the pool construction pictures, and another item – the state rules on swimming pools. As too often happens in Ramsey, the rules are “honored in the breech” by the governing body.
The state rules for swimming pools (NEW JERSEY STATE SANITARY CODE, CHAPTER IX, PUBLIC RECREATIONAL BATHING. N.J.A.C. 8:26 can be found at https://www.nj.gov/health/ceohs/documents/phss/recbathing.pdf The last update was over a year ago. Take a look at page 12, right column, item 8, of the rules which must be posted:
” 8. All persons shall shower before entering the water”
Now, the council liaison to the pool commission repeatedly stated that the “facilities trailer” did not have showers. But no one has mentioned at the Mayor and Council meetings that the state has rules, which the Mayor and Council have chosen to break.
Note [added later] – at the Mayor and Council meeting today, when I raised the above issue, the chair (council president) immediately commented that they did have a shower and were not in violation of the rules; that the information was emailed to all 3,000 pool members. The borough administrator provided further information…that there was a hand-held shower for those who wished to shower before going in the pool. (Expect to obtain further details, and will then post them.)
[Note, continued]. On the Ramsey website, there was no information that I could find about the shower. There is a separate pool website, which has a “rules and regulations page” http://www.ramseymunicipalpool.com/rules-and-regulations.html But this is not the “rules which must be posted by the state regulation”. There is no mention of shower(s) that I noticed on the pool website.
The pictures show the stonework on the new bathhouse, as of Sunday.
[2019 06 03] Yesterday’s (Sunday’s) pictures are here.
The “temporary” “facilities” are still on-site and being used, trailer and port-a-potties. Sunday, they were serviced well before the pool opened. (This can be seen in the tenth picture.)
Updates – May
[2019 05 26] Here’s today’s (Sunday’s) pictures, all of them. While the council liaison to the Pool Commission has repeatedly commented on the number of officials that visit the construction, the borough and its officials still have not seen fit to show any contruction pictures on the three flat screens in the council chamber (which simply use electricity to provide a blank screen during council meetings), nor on the ramseynj web site where ALL residents could see them!
The first picture (following) shows the temporary “facilities“, a trailer with mens’ and womens’ areas, and two port-a-potties to the right.
[2019 05 19] Forgot to mention that, at the Pool Comission meeting, it was said that the gas line in the pool area had been broken. The shingles were on the roof Saturday evening. The workers were on-site today, putting the stone facade on. The old snack stand and the pavilion are gone.
Here are the pictures from today. The single port-a-potty is at the left of the first picture, visible below the right umbrella.
[2019 05 16] Pool Commission meeting – Wednesday night
- The work on the pavilion was delayed – rain prevented the concrete work
- With the trailer for rest room, no showers, but will have
- Women – 2 stalls and wash basin
- Men – 1 stall, 2 urinals and wash basin
- And additionally, there will be 1 or 2 porta potties
The council liaison was not at the meeting.
Construction situation – Wednesday night
- No roofing material on the plywood
- All but one of the porta potties in Saturday’s pictures have been removed.
[2019 05 11] Today’s pictures. Parking lot has been cleared. Roof construction is now ready for shingles.
[2019 05 05] This past week (and last week – to start), consruction finally showed what the mayor’s goal was…a poolhouse that didn’t look like a poolhouse. The roof trusses are now installed.
But no further information has been provided on the lightning alarm system that’s been proposed for the town. And NOTHING at all about making the pool area safe in the event of lightning strikes (which would be done with a grounding system installed before concrete work).
Updates – April
[2019 04 27] At this past Wednesday’s regular Mayor and Council meeting, the borough provided the same info that was recently provided at the Pool Commission meeting – the pool itself is in good shape, and alternatives are available if the construction is not finished in time. This would include air conditioned trailers for rest rooms, and means of checking in to the pool. Since the first pool openings are on weekends, the borough believes it to be manageable. There was mention of keeping the pool open for some additional days after the usual closing date. No mention was made of the status of the lightning alert system.
Here’s today’s pictures of the construction. Note the “second story?“…is this so that the bathhouse “doesn’t look like a bathhouse????“.
The water is evident in the pictures again…the site is barely above the wetlands level.
[2019 04 21] Yesterday’s pictures…note that the Pool Commission meeting said that the next major work will be installation of roof trusses, which will take nearly three weeks.
Pool Commission Meeting
[2o19 14 18] The Pool Commission meeting was held last night – 17 April. Details were provided on the possible approaches that would be used in the event of connstruction not being completed. This information was provided by the council liaison to the pool commission (who is also the council president). Rather than transcribe the comments made, the audio from the meeting is presented here, and can be downloaded and listened to. You may wish to listen in its entirety (19 m 37 s) so that you hear everything…the comments if construction is incomplete are mainly after 10:19 (m:s). There is also a bit starting earlier at ariynd 8:50 (m:s). Meeting audio is
This is much more detailed information than was provided at last month’s pool commission meeting and at the last mayor and council meeting.
It’s been suggested to the mayor and council that all meeetings be audio recorded. This would take a few (portable) recorders, plus a spare for backup. Then the meetings could be posted the next day. Cost is less than $200 per recorder. One reads the Ramsey Code in section 2-80.2, which states “…to witness in full detail all phases of the deliberation, policy formulation, and decision making of public bodies, is vital to the enhancement and proper functioning of the democratic process.” With the actual policy of the governing body, one is compelled to acknowledge that the code statement is “honored in the breech”.
Now, if one waits for the minutes to be approved, the earliest they would be available is in a month. This doesn’t respond to the residents’ need for timely availability of INFORMATION THAT EXISTS. It could be posted on the Ramsey website home page under “Check out the latest news…”
[2019 04 17] Here’s a few weeks of pictures, and comments from the 2019 03 20 Pool Commission meeting and the 2019 04 10 Mayor and Council work session.
During the 2019 04 10 Mayor and Council work session, the council president commented about the construction schedule; that the contractor was on or close to the schedule. Further, that the construction did not affect the pool itself, and that the governing body had reviewed what contingency measures could be taken, should any of the construction not be completed on schedule. None of the ‘contingency measures‘ were mentioned.
Updates – March
Pictures from 2019 03 24
The Pool Commission meeting (2019 03 20) was interesting…had a town resident with construction experience, who said that he didn’t expect the construction work to be completed in time for the pool opening. The council liaison responded that the contractor was on or close to the schedule, that the contractor knows what the required dates are, and that the contract has a penalty clause. Further, the liaison indicated that borough officials have stopped by to view the work that’s been done.
[ramseynotes.com simply wonders that when the borough folk have come by the construction site, they haven’t enforced any site security – wouldn’t one expect the construction area to be secured with locked gates during off hours? Pictures and letters have been sent to the mayor and council. But then, this is the manner that Ramsey Municipality operates in.}
[2019 03 17] The construction continues, with a new roof on the old bathhouse. Pictures from yesterday follow.
At the Mayor and Council work session (2019 03 13), the Borough Administrator verbally provided a bit of information on the pool project. But looking under “Stay Informed” on the Ramsey web home page, there is nothing on the construction listed. It would seem that the earliest that residents would be able to read about contruction status on any “official” website would be in more than two weeks, after the M&C minutes are approved and posted on ramseynj.com — that is, IF the minutes contain any of the administrator’s comments! And IF the readers dig out the minutes.
Now, there’s NO NJ law or regulation that prevents the borough from immediately posting information on ramseynj.com — RamseyNotes doesn’t know WHY they don’t post information to keep residents up-to-date — but it seems it’s clear the borough officials just don’t give a darn.
One of the pictures shows that just the latch is used to keep the gate closed…the wire (that was twisted to keep the gate closed) is just hanging there. No security! And anther shows the water that collected – and didn’t drain away. This clearly shows the lack of drainage due to the pool being constructed in a swamp (wetlands, to use the DEP term).
Updates – March and February 2019
[2019 03 11] This provides a week-by-week update on the pool project construction. Postings were deferred for a time to allow the borough to make the premises secure, rather than simply twisting a wire to close the gates — resulting in easily opened.gates.
It’s interesting to note that, during the pool season, the premises are kept locked. Now, with construction going on, the premises are much more hazardous, but the statements about pool security (premises not locked) during two Mayor and Council meetings (23 January, 13 February) had no effect. Two letters were sent to the Mayor and Council (17/19 February, 24 February), which may have caused a bit of action – adding yellow chains and locks on most gates, but omitting the one on the East side…which was noted in the second letter. And now the chains and locks seem to be unused.
Both letters were illustrated with a picture. The first letter stated
“One would have expected:
1. the construction company to lock the gate, to keep the area safe
2. the architect (under contract to the Borough) to have noticed this and advised the Borough
3. the Borough itself, by occasional visits by Borough personnel, to observe this unsafe practice.”
Here are the weekly pictures.
The 3March pictures are below. Note that the fisrt one shows the gate wide open. Is the Governing Body awake ?
The 24 February pictures are below. the second picture shows the yellow chain and lock, used on almost (except for the Eastern( gate).
Here’s the pictures (belw) from 16 February. The first one shows the lack of security for the construction site — the gate is held closed with a piece of wire, twisted a bit. But you don’t have to untwist the wire, id you don’t mind getting your shoes muddy – could even drive your car in – the gate is open wide enough.
This is the oldest set (9 /February, below) uploaded this time. The second picture shows how the site floods. Expect to upload pool area construction pictures weekly, now that RamseyNotes.com is up-to-date,
Updates – February 2019
[2019 02 03] The pool construction is continuing — cinderblock walls getting high. Added a third picture, of the staging area in the parking lot. Here are today’s pictures.
Updates – January 2019
[2019 01 28] Even with the cold weather, the construction at the pool has been continuing. Two views illustrate the status as of Sunday.
While the borough has three re-elected members of the governing body, neither they nor the others seem to have any interest in keeping Ramsey residents informed of the Pool Project status !
[2019 01 19] At the Pool Commission meeting [2019 01 18], the Council liaison mentioned that the Borough would be putting in a lightning (prediction) sensing system covering the entire town. That the system would include the Board of Education, and participation would be offered to St. Paul Academy and Don Bosco. The system would provide alerts for the pool and for sports fields generally. It seems that the Borough would not provide a lightning protection system at the pool, which had been suggested earlier. The two approaches are complementary. No mention had been made previously of the governing body’s intentions.
Two views of today’s pool project construction status are shown: bathhouse status, and work on the old bathhouse.
Doesn’t anyone from the borough come by with a smartphone, take a few pictures, and post them on ramseynj.com? Sure doesn’t seem so. The candidates had some fine words, but seem to have forgotten them after their re-election.
[2019 01 12] Here are two views: Bathhouse status, and the work on the old bathhouse.
Doesn’t anyone from the borough come by with a smartphone, take a few pictures, and post them on ramseynj.com? Sure doesn’t seem so.
[2019 01 06] Several items have happened recently:
- Change orders 1 & 2 were approved on 27 December. They cover the removal of organic material, at a cost of about $94 – 95,000
- It turns out that the engineer (Agnoli) who was retained by the borough, has a conflict of interest, since his wife works for the enforcement division of the state DEP. Mentioned in the 12 December M&C work session. Seems there was a lack of Due Diligence on both sides.
- A new engineer has been retained to handle this work, with the resolution approved 27 December.
The recent work on the pool is illustrated by pictures this weekend and last weekend.
RamseyNotes — and the public — are still waiting for the borough to provide some pool project status and pictures on the ramseynj.com website.
On time ? … or … under water ?
[2018 11 01] Much of the public is interested in the progress of the project, whether they’re for or against it.
What was left out!
During the ‘pro-forma’ Planning Board session on the Senior / Community Center, it was noted that there was only a very limited facility for food. There was NO FULL KITCHEN – which was suggested, so that the Girl Scouts would have a community facility permitting cooking.
Now, looking at the contract, a change of scope is permitted. If this is done early enough [well before the internal wall construction is to start], then this could be easily added. This change would provide a more useful community center ! LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC…there’s lots of good ideas.
Please go to the end of this page, for a bit of more recent information, and a Thursday (2018 11 01) picture and notes.
At the last Pool Commission meeting (October 17, 2018), a suggestion was made to the commission chairman, that the commission ask the borough to put up information on the project status. [a weekly would have been good.] The Ramsey website has some material, but none that we know of about progress and status. The chairman rejected the suggestion…he didn’t want to hear of it is a fair characterization.
The weekend resulted in some issues with the construction, the heavy rain. A picture from Saturday provides a very rough idea of the status.
Note on the picture some items that may not have been anticipated by the construction crew:
- a dozen or so tree stumps, from the original pool construction on filled-in swampland
- large concrete pipes
Comment on the project –
The Blue Line design plans specified parameters for the bid process by contractors to conform to. Specifically, the foundation and footings required to ensure stable and properly builtstructures that conform to all code.
The mayor and council and Blue Line Architects have been informed over the last few years that the Ramsey Pool complex was constructed on a swamp that was filled in prior to any restrictions by DEP and as such has a high water table. The recent “letter of interpretation” requested by the borough from the DEP was quite clear…most of the 27 acres of the tract are wetlands; the pool enclosure itself and the parking lot to the West are very slightly higher, and not considered wetlands by the DEP. That’s what allowed the borough to start construction within the pool enclosure.
Did the borough or Blue Line do any bore test holes or excavation to determine the soil conditions below the planned locations of the new buildings before the plans were finalized? Before the plans from Blue Line were sent to the bidders?
It appears not, as the current conditions suggest that no one (of those involved in the construction) knew of the numerous swamp tree trunks recently excavated by the contractor. This is where the footings forming the structural base of the buildings would go. Additionally, concrete drainage pipe was unearthed. Was this known from the drawings to be there?
The water table as noted is very high, what one would expect from the swampy location that the pool was originally built (not a surprise, since the DEP had to respond to the borough’s inquity). The trenches excavated for the footing forms are now like moats around a castle, filled with ground water and runoff water.
The stability of the soil and ground in the area of the proposed buildings appears to be a surprise as the designs may not have noted the original site characteristics, and may not have been designed for this situation.
These issues of soil stability and high ground water with miscellaneous debris dumped in the area may have a negative impact on construction cost and timing. If so the Borough may be in for serious increase in cost and delays. As such, since the refurbished bathrooms have been torn out and if the project is delayed due to this lack of planning and poor design, in the worst case will the pool have to use Port a Potties in the next Pool Season?
Guess that the borough now will have to address the pool project status…and hopefully keep the public informed!
[Posted Saturday morning very early, 2018 11 03] Here’s a Thursday, 2018 11 01, picture of the site.With the better weather during the week, the contractor has been able to remove the tree stumps and able to remove the old concrete pipes from the excavation, put gravel in the excavations, and start footings for the expanded wall of the remaining pool building. There was another engineering firm (not the architect) at the site Friday, Bertin Engineering. Don’t know whether the borough brought them in.
Just took a look at the Ramseynj.com website, under the “Stay Informed” section on the home page. Clicking on the “View All” so I wouldn’t miss anything…there’s items going back to November 3, 2017 – a year ago – the “flight path” comment. But NOTHING about this week at the pool project, even though they evidently brought in another engineering firm to get an independent assessment.
The borough still doesn’t keep its residents informed. The borough has a staff, and took the time to bring in another firm, but doesn’t have enough interest to keep us informed! RamseyNotes relies on volunteers, and may take a day or days to get information out. The borough should be way ahead of us! BUT you decide.
